Date: 26 June 2027
Distance: 600km
Start Time: 0430
Official Finish Cut-off: 2030 Sunday (40h)
Location: Comfort Suites, Dunnellon, Florida
Climbing: ~5,200ft
Cost: $10
Cue Sheet: Will be posted no later than 6/20/2027
Check-in: Morning of 6/26, before the ride. Details to follow.
Registered Riders (2): Rozelle P, Sally S
Other Requirements: Current RUSA membership; sign the waiver at the ride start
Food & Drink: TBD before and after the ride; details to follow in mid-June 2027. Riders will be on their own for food/drink on the route.
SAG: None. Riders need to make their own arrangements for return to the start/finish in the event they abandon.
Brevet cards: Riders on this brevet will have a choice between the traditional brevet card and documenting proof of passage using photos. More info to follow.
Ride Description: This is the second running of this 600K, which is the Dunnellon 300K route run clockwise and then counterclockwise. It travels up the Nature Coast and along the Suwanee River before turning inland and heading back to Dunnellon through the rolling hills of Alachua and Marion Counties. It reverses this on Day 2. Most of the climbing is in the last 50 miles of Day 1 (and the first 50 miles of Day 2). None of the climbs are long but several are surprisingly steep. Lights and reflective gear are mandatory.
Important Notes About This Brevet: First, this is a no-frills (note the registration price) last-chance PBP qualification brevet. Expect to be totally on your own for the ride (perhaps literally, depending on head count). What’s no frills mean? “Here’s your brevet card; go with God.” Second, this event is very late in the season for us. It will be full-on summer. Riding in summer conditions here is no joke and parts of this route are extremely exposed to the elements. The early start time recognizes this and is intended to get you more hours of cool(er) riding completed before it gets brutally hot and sunny and it should also enable most riders to get in the door before nightfall and enjoy a long overnight. You should also expect heavy afternoon thunderstorms. Point is, plan accordingly for challenging conditions and be prepared to ride slower and with more stops than you are used to. Third, this is a summer vacation weekend and you should expect some of the roads to have significant traffic, especially SR 121 and US 41. Be careful! Finally, anticipate changes to the end of the route to minimize the time spent on US 41. You’ll still have to deal with some of that road north of Dunnellon but less than on past editions.
Really Important Note for PBP Aspirants, Number 1. If this brevet is your only plan for a 600 to qualify for PBP, then I recommend making another plan. This is truly a “last chance” brevet meaning that if you DNF it, you won’t be going to PBP–you can’t make it up later and the qualification cut-off is 6/30/2027. I want everyone who wants to go to PBP to get there. Contact me if you have questions or are having difficulty arranging qualifying brevets and I’ll help you come up with a viable plan.
Really Important Note for PBP Aspirants, Number 2. This brevet is intended to be ridden as a 300/300. It’s a ton of fun and, weather aside, it’s not especially challenging. That said, it’s also not great PBP preparation. Stopping at 300km is a DNF in the making on PBP. That’s not enough riding on Day 1. Please do not bang through this brevet and think you’re good-to-go for PBP. It will qualify you for PBP, but completion alone will not prepare you for PBP. I want everyone to be successful on PBP and I don’t want anyone thinking that riding a 300/300, especially if you’re anywhere near the 40-hour time cut off, is an indicator of likely success. Got questions or want to talk about what I think makes good preparation for a successful PBP? Contact me and I’m glad to help.
What a weird start time. Why? Because the store at mile 29 opens at 0600 and you don’t want to arrive before it opens and, at the same time, you want the maximal amount of early morning riding. Hence, the 0430 start which accomplishes both things.
Registration
You MUST pre-register for this event! No day-of registrations. Preregistration must be completed by no later than June 25 at noon.
There are two steps to completing your registration.
Step 1. Please fill in the information here.
Step 2. Send in your $10 payment using Zelle (most US banks support this; use my cell or email). Registration = completed form + payment.
Last revised: 10 November 2026